


Sick Boy

by YourConsentingMind



Category: Shovel Knight
Genre: (probably anyways), Angst, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, As a matter of fact everyone in the order needs a hug, Depression, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Fever, Fever Dreams, Fluff, Gen, Health Issues, Hurt/Comfort, I removed the sickfic tag since its not really a pure sickfic, I'm Sorry, Illnesses, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Injury Recovery, M/M, Maybe - Freeform, Mental Breakdown, Mental Health Issues, Mental Instability, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Minor characters appear, Out of Character, Past Abuse, Physical Abuse, Plague Knight Needs A Hug, Plague Knight and Mona are besties, Plague Knight is sickly, Poisoning, Post-Canon, Psychological Trauma, Recovery, Self-Hatred, Suicide Attempt, The Enchantress is only mentioned, Trauma, i can only write sad stuff, theres. a lot to unpack here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-25 04:20:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22186141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YourConsentingMind/pseuds/YourConsentingMind
Summary: Specter Knight goes to find Plague Knight.Plague Knight is a long way from home or being healthy.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Mona & Plague Knight, Plague Knight & Mole Knight, Plague Knight/Specter Knight
Kudos: 40





	1. Neverland

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning for description of a Suicide Attempt + Poisoning in this chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah just a heads-up i have the most irregular update schedule in the world so if you dont hear of me for the next 200 years thats why  
> ALSO forgive me if this like sucks cuz i havent written any fanfics in like 2-3 years

_ In the summer silence, I was getting violent _  
  


Specter Knight passed through the doors of the Explodatorium, avoiding various Macawbes and Ratsploders that came his way, greeting one of the local alchemists while making his way further inside. He entered the side room, with many different minions gathered or walking in and out, that lead to the large main room. Sound was booming in the room, less from explosions, more from the multitude of voices overlapping each other, as if competing for who could speak the loudest. The main room was much quieter, with only the soft bubbling of various chemicals filling it. They were all different colors - blue, red, green, pink; some even glittered in multiple different colors that Specter Knight did not know the name of. The smell was indescribable too, with so many different scents mixing into another. He thought he'd caught the smells of lavender, mint, vanilla... But they all became indistinguishable soon.  
  
He floated towards Mona, who was standing nearby, carefully mixing two substances into a vial. He waited until she finished mixing the two and putting away the vial before speaking, as to not startle her and make her drop the mixture - he was uncertain but believed whatever the substance was, it might have some bad side effects if dropped onto the floor (like many of Plague Knight's mixtures, with the most common side effect being explosions).  
  
"Hey, Mona." Specter Knight landed on the ground to signal his presence.  
  
She turned to look at the phantom, though she already knew who was standing there. "Hey, Specter." She gave him a slight smile before walking over to grab another vial from the table, placing it into the shelf nearby. "What do you need?" She asked with her back to him as she placed the vial into the top shelf. She usually only did that if it was something Plague Knight should not reach without her knowledge.  
  
However, it was odd to see her alone here. Normally Plague Knight only left for Order meetings, which was definitely not the case of his absence today - otherwise Specter Knight would not be here either. Mona and Plague Knight usually experimented together.  
  
"Where is Plague Knight?" His voice sounded concerned, something unusual for Specter Knight.  
  
Mona shrugged. "Dunno, he's been out of the house for a couple of hours now. Said he needed to do some stuff over at Mole Knight's.“ She looked at Specter Knight over her shoulder as she searched for something in the shelves. “I'd check there if I were you.”  
  
Specter Knight nodded and thanked her for her time (he always felt the need to be polite), before leaving the Explodatorium to search for Plague Knight in the Lost City. He had the feeling that something terribly wrong was going to happen or had already happened...  
  
_Weary of my eyes, I've tired many tries._  
  
It had been a few months now since Shovel Knight stopped The Enchantress, brought back Shield Knight and stopped the Remnant of Fate together with her. The Order still existed, though they worked for the better now. The Valley needed much rebuilding, and they all contributed their part; they agreed to this with Shovel Knight, many out of feeling guilty for buying into the Enchantress' empty promises and causing so much havoc.  
  
Specter Knight floated along the hills, making his way to the Lost City. Mole Knight was among those who felt bad for what happened – he eagerly agreed to do what he could to help rebuilding. Since then, he probably did the most out of the entire Order- not even Tinker Knight could catch up. But it was not a competition anyway.  
  
When the Order first formed, Mole Knight and Plague Knight surprisingly got along very well. Their personalities were wildly different, but it seemed that they somehow clicked. Even after the Enchantress' defeat, they still hang out a lot, with the two often brainstorming on how to be even more efficient than they already are. Yes, a lot has been rebuilt already, but for every house that is fixed, there's at least another ten completely destroyed. There was still much to do.  
  
Specter Knight passed a hill, staring at the setting sun. He remained there for a few minutes, enjoying the view. Then he moved on.  
  
On his way to the Lost City, this creeping feeling of some terrible happening kept following him, unable to shake it off. He soon found himself averting from his original, straight-forward path, diverting to search the surroundings a bit more.  
  
Maybe fifteen minutes had gone by when he thought he saw something odd. There were small footprints nearby, leading off to a small forest. They were remarkably small – not as small as Tinker Knight's, but tiny regardless. Of course, he could've written this off as just an animal – but what animal just wanders off a paved path into the woods wearing boots? Specter Knight decided the trail was worth checking out at least, so he followed the tracks.  
  
_You'll feel better when you wake up._

  
He'd gone deep into the forest. The footprints seemed to lead to a clearing, before abruptly ending. Specter Knight decided to have a look around.  
  
Only a short while after, he'd found it. A few vials were laying on the grassy floor, liquids spilled. Well, all except for two, one of which was completely empty and the other half-way. He approached the substances. Its smell stung, and he quickly realized what the substances were.  
  
**Poison.  
  
** He frantically looked around the nearby area, trying to find any trace of the knight. He noticed a body laying nearby. He approached it quickly.  
  
It was Plague Knight.  
  
He was alive, though questionable for how long. He just drank two and a half vials of poison. Specter Knight picked up the unconscious knight, seeing him breathe calmly. A sense of guilt tore into him.  
  
He wasted no time, moving on to the closest settlement he could find.  
  
It used to be an armor outpost when the Enchantress “ruled” over the land. Ever since she disappeared, it has become a normal village like all the others in the Valley though. He hoped someone had enough knowledge about poisons to help the knight he clutched tightly in his arms. He was likely getting a lot of weird looks from the townsfolk, not that he cared much. Hadn't it been like that the entire time?  
  
He bumped into someone he did not anticipate to see here, though. He was talking to Percy, who was here recalculating his catapults like usual. He'd managed to get a house in the village finally.  
  
“Specter Knight? What are you-”  
  
The man cut himself off mid-sentence as he noticed who Specter Knight was holding in his arms, and the vials Specter Knight took with him in case they may help determine how to fix up Plague Knight.  
  
It seems Shovel Knight has been visiting the places of the other knights and decided to make a stop at the outpost.  
  
Percy looked at the phantom now too, expressions changing quickly. “Dear god, what happened to Plague Knight?!” he exclaimed, hurrying over to Specter Knight along with Shovel Knight.  
  
“I found him like this in a forest nearby. Mona said he was on his way to Mole Knight's. I-” Specter Knight's voice trembled for just a moment before he composed himself- “I think he drank poison. I found these vials nearby when I found him. Only two were completely empty, and one was half-way. The rest seemed to have spilled on the ground partially.” Specter Knight took a deep breath. “I don't know how long he'd been laying there. I found footprints that were rather fresh though.”  
  
Percy quickly took the vials from him, inspecting them closely. He gave a small sigh of relief. “At least it's not the really potent poisons-- Good thing Mona keeps them out of his reach-”  
  
“Okay, bring him into the house, I can help him- Just put him on the bed, lay him on the side, try to wake him if you haven't already-” Percy began fumbling about in the various cabinets in his home, looking for something while always taking another look at the vials. Shovel Knight helped Specter Knight move Plague Knight onto the bed. Specter Knight tried to wake up Plague Knight – it didn't work a few minutes ago when he was still in the forest, but maybe he would respond now.  
  
“Plague Knight, wake up- Can you hear us?” Specter Knight shook Plague Knight's shoulder very slightly, getting a groan out of the other, but nothing more. Shovel Knight turned to Percy. “Found anything yet?”  
  
Percy had been rummaging through one of his cabinets, taking out another vial with a blueish substance in it. There was a label that read 'for Rhacyn poisoning'. “Okay, we need to get him to drink this. That's the antidote for the poison, Mona gave it to me in case of an emergency-”  
  
_ Black hole sun  
Won't you come  
And wash away the rain? _   
  
Specter Knight spent the entire night at the side of Plague Knight, who was recovering from poisoning still. The antidote appears to have worked, but Plague Knight still remained only semi-conscious until he drifted back out. Specter Knight was watching for any change in his condition. Percy had taken to sleeping on his couch instead, while Shovel Knight went out to the Explodatorium to inform Mona.  
  
Plague Knight seemed to be dreaming, but he was tossing and turning every so often in them. Specter Knight could almost guess what the smaller knight was dreaming about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs i used the lyrics of this chapter (all curved text is song lyrics):  
> 1) Mama's Gun by Glass Animals  
> 2) Hummingbird by Edu  
> 3) Wake Up by Eden  
> 4) Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden


	2. They're watching us anyways.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title song lyric is from evelyn, evelyn
> 
> Warnings for physical abuse and violence this chapter

_ Chapter 2: _

_I wish you could see the wicked truth  
  
_ Today was another Order meeting. Plague Knight held one of his bombs against the light, watching its glint. He knew that, like every Order meeting, he would come home covered in bruises and scars, maybe even a broken bone or two. That's how almost all of them ended. “I'm going now, Mona. You're in charge of the Explodatorium till I come home.” Mona nodded, though her look was extremely concerned. She knew what happened at the meetings. Sometimes she worried if Plague Knight would come back at all from the meetings.  
  
On his way to the tower, he met up with Mole Knight, who had noticed the dismay of Plague Knight. The taller Knight could relate all too well, he knew just like the other members of the order. Mole night patted Plague Knight on the back, sighing. “I'm sorry,” he uttered. Plague Knight shook his head. “No, Mole Knight, it's not your fault. I understand not wanting to get in trouble.” The last time one of the Order refused to do what the Enchantress commanded them to... it did not go well.  
  
The two, later joined by Tinker Knight and Polar Knight, arrived at the Tower of Fate. The other members were already waiting at the entrance, ready for what was to come. Or well, as ready as one can be for anything that may happen here, in this accursed Tower. The air was chilling, and Plague night had this bad feeling he always had when they go to the Tower. Specter Knight locked eyes with him, arms crossed, leaned against the wall. His position softened as he noticed the alchemist staring back, and he walked over to Plague Knight, giving him a small pat on the back as he passed by. Plague Knight remembered that Specter Knight did this with anyone who was the victim of the last meeting. “Come on, let's go, everyone.”  
  
_Leave me be, I'm colored sad  
  
_ “Well, get going!” She crossed her arms, looking annoyed already. The Order gathered in the “courtyard” of the Tower of Fate, an open area fit for battle. The Enchantress was at the end of the group, making sure none of them tried to just dip out on her. She floated up onto a small podium, harshly glaring at the group, as if to make sure everyone was aware what denying her orders would end in. The Order moved together a little, as if trying to shield themselves from her.  
  
She always thought they were too weak to face off against Shovel Knight, should he ever decide to come around (she always spoke of him in a very taunting voice). She emphasized how disappointed she would be, should any of them lose to Shovel Knight in a fight – they were an elite and could not tolerate failure, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. So she pitted them against each other. Over, and over, and over. And if anyone refused, she would take them away to...  
  
Plague Knight shuddered at the thought. He'd been in that place too often, too many times. Countless. If not for the others, then maybe...  
  
Of course, all of this was just considered training in her eyes. She was extremely powerful (and violent), and what they were forced to do against their own will was something she would consider a cake-walk probably. But in reality, it was a fight to the point of breaking. The losers of the brawl would be taken away for... “special” training, as the Enchantress referred to it. Plague Knight really believed she was just a sadist that loved seeing her own “most trusted” knights suffer (most trusted was, too, nothing but a simple lie. She did not trust anyone, most certainly not these eight knights, that, if they worked together closely, could potentially become more powerful than her. Maybe she made them fight each other to awaken some form of hatred for another so that they would never team up or even get along. Not that it has stopped a majority of the Order from becoming friends with each other, even if in secret sometimes). As far as he remembered, everyone had been to special training at least a couple of times, though he himself was among the “frequenters”, along with Specter Knight (who, for some reason, still had enough resolve to refuse her orders, despite the fact that almost everyone in the Order had broken by now and would simply give in to the Enchantress' commands) and Mole Knight (he was a very “I'll do my own things, thank you very much” person before the Order trainings started. He still refused to battle his friends every so often, landing him a spot at the top of the “special training” list).  
  
Before the big brawl (which was a 4 person match), Plague Knight was to face off against King Knight. By no means an easy opponent, King Knight often acted like a spoiled child but was more than capable of fighting well, and even better at holding speeches that could probably band everyone together. Plague Knight gave the golden knight a look that said “I'm sorry” before the two battled. The fight ended surprisingly quickly; Plague Knight was the victor. It seemed like King Knight just... gave up. He looked broken. Plague Knight had never seen him like this before – not the oblivious bastard he is, who would never give up on anything, such as playing Joustus against Specter Knight at least 50 times before winning even once (Plague Knight watched that entire dilemma and found it incredibly entertaining).  
  
The Enchantress took him and the other three losers of their face-offs away, into the tower – they were King Knight, who lost to Plague Knight, Propeller Knight, who lost to Specter Knight, Treasure Knight, who lost to Polar Knight, and Tinker Knight, who lost to Mole Knight. The other four got to have a small (maybe 15 minute-long) rest before all four would fight each other.  
  
Plague Knight felt emotionally broken, as always. Sending his friends to “special training” or being sent there himself – no real difference. One was psychological and physical torture, the other emotional torture.  
  
Specter Knight rested next to him, rubbing his back calmingly as he cried silently. There were no words that could fix this pain.  
  
_There is no happy end  
It's only just the end  
There may be happy later, happy now and happy then-  
But there is no happy end.  
  
_ The fight ended with Polar Knight as the victor of the four. The other three refused to fight each other, no matter the punishment. The Enchantress brought them to the room. Plague Knight knew the drill already.  
  
“Fight” the Enchantress. Except: her magic made it impossible to fight back. So it was just getting beat to a bloody pulp. She always claimed this would “strengthen their defense”, “steady their resolve”. All lies. The Enchantress held back only enough to not kill her subjects. Of the three remaining ones (the ones who got their beating earlier got off the hook already, while the final three always get theirs extra long), Plague Knight had to go first. He was screamed at for his failure after the fight that he refused to fight while being buffeted with fireball after fireball and various other magic she had up her sleeve.  
  
He did not even try to fight back. He just accepted the verbal and physical abuse.  
  
She did not stop hitting him for a long time. She even took to not using magic, just hitting him instead. Plague Knight, bleeding heavily by this point, various burns all over him from the fireballs she kept throwing at him, tried to stay, but... he faded out of consciousness eventually.  
  
_Got nobody cause I'm b r a i n d e a d.  
  
_ He awoke, trying to sit up. His back hurt bad, and he felt aching everywhere, in particular there where he was struck with fireballs.  
  
“Hey, don't get up yet. You need to recover.” Plague Knight looked for the source of the voice, meeting eyes (or visors?) with Specter Knight. He was in the Explodatorium, in his room. With no recollection of how he got here, how long he'd been out cold or how many injuries he actually sustained that needed attention.  
  
Plague Knight groaned, staring absently.  
  
“Are you alright, Plague?” Specter Knight asked, concerned.  
  
“I feel like I died at least 5 deaths.” Plague Knight responded blankly. “But at least I'm not with  _her_ anymore.”  
  
Specter Knight nodded. He was making... a tea? At least Plague Knight heard a tea kettle.  
  
“How long was I out?” he asked the phantom.  
  
“Nearly an entire day. You had it worst of all of us though. Mole and I's are nothing in comparison to yours.” Specter Knight lifted his cloak slightly to reveal a large patch of charred armor, to the point where you could see the flesh (half rotten, half burned) beneath. It didn't look infected, but it was definitely not pretty to look at either. “Mole's are worse than mine. You're covered in burns from head to toes.” Plague Knight looked down on his own body, noticing a variety of bandages. In fact, he must have looked like a mummy by this point.  
  
“Did you bring me home?” Plague Knight asked curiously.  
  
“Who else do you think brought you all the way here? Certainly not the Enchantress.” Plague Knight shuddered at the name, shaking his head.  
  
“Thanks for getting me out of there.”  
  
“Hey, don't mention it. The Order's gotta stick together, through thick and thin.” Specter Knight likely smiled underneath that helmet – Plague Knight had learned to read his body language well. “Propeller Knight brought the other four home. They seemed to have taken quite the beating, too.” Specter Knight sighed. “Don't blame Polar Knight for doing what she told 'im. It just keeps getting worse.”  
  
Plague Knight nodded slightly, looking down. Specter Knight likely felt the worse of all of them, considering he was the one who brought the Order together. He once admitted to feeling guilty for putting them through all this – no one blamed him, though. He could not have known the Enchantress would treat any of them like this.  
  
“Specter. Where'd you put my clothes?” Plague Knight inquired.  
  
“Mona said she was gonna try and fix 'em up. They were largely charred and torn, not much to try and save if I'm honest.” Specter Knight said, turning around with a cup of tea that he placed on the small table next to Plague Knight's bed. Plague Knight only now noticed Specter Knight's left arm, the one he did not see when he was turned away, was in a sling. “She... she broke your arm?” Plague Knight asked, concerned expression on his face. “What's left of it.” Specter Knight replied. “Just enjoy your tea, don't worry 'bout me too much. I'm fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song lyrics in order:
> 
> The Other Side of Paradise - Glass Animals  
> Hummingbird - edu  
> The End - Jack Strauber  
> Pork Soda - Glass Animals


	3. Fever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plague Knight disappears again. He doesn't get far.
> 
> Instead, he ends up ill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No proofread, if it has mistakes im sorry, im posting this literally 1 minute before going to bed

_Bye Bye, Baby Blue  
  
_ By the time Specter Knight had woken up from his unexpected nap, he noticed the bed next to him was empty. Shovel Knight had not returned and Percy was still asleep on the couch. Plague Knight had managed to leave without anyone nothing.  
  
Specter Knight's first reaction was panic, of course. He just tried to  **poison** himself the day before, god knows what he might try this time.  
  
The phantom immediately got up, floating outside. It was the crack of dawn and most villagers were still asleep. Specter Knight believed himself without a trail until he noticed Plague Knight's footprints in the mud. He followed after them, hoping Plague Knight hadn't gotten far yet. Even without another attempt at dying, he was weakened enough to get himself into some serious trouble.  
  
It was late fall, and beginning to get relatively cold. Most trees had thrown off their leaves by now, save for the conifers in the nearby forests.  
  
Specter Knight had been following the trail for a while now. The footprints started to become closer together and more clumsy, as if Plague Knight was losing energy.  
  
After just another few dozen meters, Specter Knight found Plague Knight laying in the mud, crying and shaking. He approached the alchemist, who didn't even seem aware of his presence. Specter Knight knelt down next to the smaller knight who was now partially covered in dirt, reaching out a hand and placing it on the other's shoulder. When Plague Knight didn't jerk away, he used his other hand to pull him closer, until he was on his lap, before leaning closer, embracing him and trying to comfort him.  
  
Plague Knight broke a bit more, sobbing very hard now. He seemed to have finally realized Specter Knight's presence, as he grabbed for the phantom's cloak, clinging to it as if his life depended on it. In between his cries, he kept whispering 'Get her away' over and over again. Specter Knight shushed him, running his hand over the knight's back softly, holding him close.  
  
Eventually, Plague Knight's sobs began to lessen, and his grip loosened a little. He didn't let go though. For just a moment, Specter Knight believed that Plague Knight was recovering, but the shaking didn't cease; instead it got worse.  
  
“S-Specter, i-i-it's s-so c-cold,” he whispered, trying to scoot closer. Specter Knight himself did not really feel the cold Plague Knight talked about, though he was better equipped for these temperatures anyways. He wrapped his arms around Plague Knight, picking him up from the ground, which the small alchemist did not try to resist.  
  
Specter Knight considered what could be causing the cold. Of course, it could be the environment in general, though he doubted that, as Plague Knight had not seemed bothered by it so far.  
  
He placed a hand on Plague Knight's forehead.  
  
There was the problem.  
  
“It's going to be okay,” he hummed, trying to calm the knight down who had since started crying a little again. Specter Knight made his way back to the village, Plague Knight in his arms.  
  
_I'm feeling dizzy, dizzy, dizzy  
  
_ Back in Percy's home (bringing Plague Knight to the Explodatorium in such a condition was no option whatsoever), Specter Knight had brought the alchemist back to bed, calming him whenever he noticed Plague Knight beginning to panic again and generally just watching over him.  
  
Plague Knight felt far more comfortable in the presence of his friend, though the fever he had caught from running out in the middle of the night (dawn?) was keeping him from resting like Specter Knight hoped he would be able to. Percy had since left to get some stuff from the Explodatorium (taking his shortcut, no doubt), leaving the two knights alone.  
  
The alchemist was tucked under the blanket, with basically only his head showing at this point. Specter Knight had placed a warm tea on the table near the bed, watching over Plague Knight in silence, aside from when he noticed that he was beginning to panic again.  
  
The smell of the tea reminded Plague Knight of the many times Specter Knight had brought him back from the verge of death. He supposed that, in some way, this wasn't really any different from back then, other than the fact that  **she** was missing in the equation for a change. Or well, kind of. His reasoning for that attempt was connected with her in some way, so maybe it had something to do with her after all.  
  
Despite the progress everyone was making, Plague Knight kept remembering the things she would do to him and the others. He constantly had nightmares about her. Sometimes, when he worked in the Explodatorium with Mona, he would just... break down because of her. When he ran away this morning, it was no different.  
  
Despite everything, Plague Knight was ever as affected, depressed and paranoid as he was when she was still alive. The past just would not let him rest.  
  
For so long he wanted to talk to Specter Knight or Mole Knight about it, but he just never could. He knew he could open up to them, that they would not be bothered, yet still... he was still too weak.  
  
Specter Knight noticed Plague Knight's distress, beginning to stroke his cheek. “It's okay,” he hummed. “You needn't talk about it if you do not want to.”  
  
The two remained in silence, just enjoying each other's company, until Plague Knight fell asleep.  
  
_What's in your head, in your head?  
  
_ Plague Knight was trying to run away from the darkness approaching him, but he didn't get far until he felt it touch his leg, pulling him and causing him to fall, as he tried to scramble away, but it held him tight and unable to get away, beginning to swallow him into the abyss.  
  
He screamed, he screamed as loud as he possibly could, for anyone, screaming for help, but nobody came to free him...  
  
When he thought it was all going to be over, he heard a voice, feeling the shadows slowly creep away. He heard footsteps, and someone's voice, but he could not tell who it was or what it was saying. It made the darkness go away. He noticed a figure ahead of him, approaching.  
  
  
“Plague Knight!” It called out. “Plague Knight, wake up!”  
  
Plague Knight's eyes opened as he felt someone shake his shoulder. He looked over tiredly to see Specter Knight, looking distressed.  
  
“Thank god, you're awake..” he muttered under his breath.  
  
“Are you alright? You were... you were screaming in your sleep, for help.” Specter Knight placed a hand on Plague Knight's forehead again, to see if the fever had gotten any worse.  
  
“I thought I was being swallowed by the darkness...” the alchemist replied quietly and weakly, tears swelling up in his eyes.  
  
Specter Knight shook his head. “You must have been dreaming. It was a fever dream. It's alright, I'm here.” He patted Plague Knight's hand, rubbing his own over it slightly.  
  
“It's going to be okay. Nobody will hurt you, not while I'm here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song lyrics:  
> The other side of paradise - glass animals  
> Dizzy - Missio  
> Zombie - The Cranberries


	4. Echo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plague Knight has nightmares again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is kind of a 'delaying' chapter i promise we'll get into some actually interesting stuff soon
> 
> also the next past chapter is going to be a bit into the future if you dont want to count the dream chapters so.

It had been nearly a day now since Percy left to get Mona. Specter Knight had been taking care of Plague Knight to the best of his abilities, though he didn't have nearly as much knowledge on the topic as he wished he did right now.  
  
Plague Knight has been constantly tossing and turning again, with rare moments of calm, most of which were limited to when he woke up and was comforted by Specter Knight from his nightmares. Specter Knight felt like he had to take care of the alchemist – he owed him that much at least. They were extremely close friends – the only ones Specter Knight knew Plague Knight was closer to were Mole Knight and Mona.  
  
Still, he wanted to see Plague Knight healthy just as much as the other two probably do.  
  
As soon as Plague Knight managed to fall back asleep, Specter Knight knew it was only a matter of minutes, maybe an hour, for him to start having a nightmare again. The phantom himself was still deeply haunted by what happened at the tower and all the pain they had to go through together. Hell, he probably felt the guiltiest out of the eight – he was the one who got the others to join the Order and work for the Enchantress in the first place. All for his own gain originally, which he promptly gave up for Reize. He knew exactly how horrible the Enchantress was – even before the Order existed and she took over the land, she was already a terrible person and made sure that failure was to be remembered with punishment. If he hadn't gathered the others to join her, they likely wouldn't have had to go through all that trauma.  
  
Still, the others (including Plague Knight) all agreed he had it the worst under her when they heard his stories of things that happened even before she had recruited all of them. Seeing Plague Knight the way he was right now made Specter Knight beg to differ – seeing the torment the alchemist went through day and day again, or night and night again; it really made Specter Knight realize why he was such an insomniac and spent almost all of the time he can spend like that awake.  
  
But that too has started taking its toll on Plague Knight, who started living in even more stress, disorder and worry than he did before. All of that combined with the lack of sleep probably had ruined his body by this point, rendering him as sickly as he was nowadays. Specter Knight remembered that many times he visited the alchemist, Mona directed him to his room, saying he'd gotten sick again and saying he needed to take more time off and sleep more.  
  
Well, he realized why Plague Knight didn't want to sleep. It was not one of his usual playful, almost childish attributes – no, it was to avoid all the pain it would cause him to relive again and again.  
  
Specter Knight began wondering if the others also went through these issues.  
  
King Knight for certain – as a matter of fact, the two have spoken about just that several times before.  
  
Mole Knight didn't want to show it, but Specter Knight definitely knew that he was not as okay as he was pretending to be. After all, Mole Knight also took a large chunk of the Enchantress' wrath time and time again – and unlike Polar Knight, he was not remotely as hardy as the old warrior. Specter Knight remembered that one time Mole Knight truly broke – it wasn't his own pain that caused it, or well, not his own physical pain at least. It was the fact that Plague Knight was barely hanging on anymore. It was the view of how the once so cheery and ecstatic alchemist turned into an anxious mess – Plague Knight had always had anxiety problems, Mole Knight told him, even before the two of them joined the Order (they were already very close friends long before the Order got together, due to them often crossing paths because of work and moving along from there). However, they had basically overtaken him completely just a few months under the Enchantress' orders. The once cheery alchemist had 'become nothing but a shadow of himself', as Mole Knight put it.  
  
Eventually Plague Knight started putting on a facade of happiness again, but Mole Knight saw through it all too quickly. Ever since the Enchantress was gone, the two have been working on fixing themselves up and work through this trauma, together. Plague Knight had started showing his old traits again, and that made Mole Knight feel joy and hope again, to see his closest friend begin to be himself again.  
  
It made Specter Knight question if that too was nothing but an act. Seeing the alchemist now, here, in front of him – it painted a much different picture than what he had seen in the previous few months, where Plague Knight would rarely let anyone notice his still deeply depressed side.  
  
Treasure Knight? He wasn't certain about him. Treasure Knight could take a lot of turmoil, but he was unsure if it was enough to withstand what the Enchantress did without any remnants.  
  
Tinker Knight was hit hard too, and he was still working on his issues. But the tiny schemer was definitely doing better than Plague Knight. He once remarked that making these machines (especially the small toy ones) was therapeutic for him and helped him work through it.  
  
Polar Knight seemed to have no issue with it that had carried to these past few months. He was as affected as the rest of them, but he withstood a lot, and seems to have been able to deal with these happenings just fine.  
  
Propeller Knight, on the other hand, was also deeply affected by what happened, less of that what happened to him, more that what happened to his friends. He had even taken this whole issue to a therapist, who he visited regularly, as far as Specter Knight knew.  
  
And he himself? Specter Knight couldn't even begin to describe the inner turmoil he had every time he even thought about it. So he didn't. Or not much, at least. He wouldn't bring it up to anyone else unless it was brought up first. He had better things to do than think too much about the past anyways – he's learned that before. Plus, he had Reize. And Reize came first in the matter.  
  
Plague Knight was still tossing and turning. Specter Knight wondered if he was dreaming about a specific repressed memory (he heard that this may happen a lot to people) or if he was simply dreaming of the Enchantress, in no particular scenario he was familiar with.  
  
When he stopped turning for just a moment, Specter Knight placed a hand on his head again. It had gone down. He wasn't sure the fever was gone, but it was certainly not as severe anymore.  
  
Plague Knight immediately moved again.  
  
“Specter Knight!” he screamed out, beginning to sob and cry.  
  
“Hey, Plague, I'm right here-” he tried to wake the alchemist.  
  
“Mole Knight! Please help me- Please! She is going to kill me!”  
  
“Plague Knight, wake u-”  
  
“ANYONE! Please! Help me!”  
  
“Pl-”  
  
“Get her away from me!”  
  
The alchemist began struggling against Specter Knight's grip.  
  
“Go away! Don't touch me!” He was crying even harder.  
  
“P...Please... let go of me.... don't hurt me anymore...” His sobs began to quieten down.  
  
“Please... I'm sorry... Please don't... don't hurt me again...”  
  
Specter Knight shook Plague Knight a bit more roughly this time. “Plague Knight- Plague Knight!”  
  
The alchemist shot up, gripping tightly at the blanket, quickly pulling his knees up and pressing himself against the wall, letting go of the blanket and holding his head, trying to shield himself. “Go away!--”  
  
He lowered his arms slowly, looking over at Specter Knight, who had since let go of his arm, giving him a worried look. Plague Knight looked down at his arms, pulling his knees up to his chest and crying.  
  
“I'm sorry...”  
  
“No, Plague. I should be sorry. I didn't mean to go so rough on you... but you wouldn't wake up.”  
  
Droplets rolled down Plague Knight's mask – it was only a few, there were probably far more beneath it. They were tinted lightly green, just ever so slightly. Specter Knight carefully and slowly moved his hands over to Plague Knight, who was still shaking from the nightmare, as to not startle him. He then wiped away the tears he could.  
  
“It's okay. I'm here.” He slowly took one of Plague Knight's hands into his own, trying to comfort the alchemist. “I won't leave your side until you're ready.”  
  
Plague Knight nodded weakly, before beginning to cough hard again. “Where are the others...?” he asked, looking over to the phantom.  
  
“Percy went to get Mona, and some medical supplies. They will be here soon.” he reassured the alchemist, even though he was not sure himself.  
  
“Plague, can I ask you a question?” Specter Knight asked quietly. Plague Knight nodded softly.  
  
“Do you... do you have any hallucinations?”  
  
Plague Knight quickly shook his head. “No. Or well... not that I have noticed or heard any.”  
  
Specter Knight hummed in response, not letting go of Plague Knight's hand, who was slowly settling into bed again.  
  
“Specter Knight... will you stay here even when Mona and Percy get here?”  
  
“Of course. I'll stay as long as you need me to.”  
  
Plague Knight smiled slightly, closing his eyes again, falling back asleep, with Specter Knight still holding his hand tightly to reassure him of his words.


End file.
